Container for liquid cartridge, liquid cartridge container, and method for collecting liquid cartridge

Abstract

A container for storing a liquid cartridge that is attachable to a liquid discharge apparatus, the container includes a storage unit including a bottom and at least four side walls, and an opening facing the bottom, wherein a plurality of ribs protrudes from an inner surface of at least one of the at least four side walls of the storage unit toward an inside of the storage unit and extends from the bottom toward the opening, and wherein the plurality of ribs includes a plurality of first ribs, the plurality of first ribs is configured to protrudes in a direction parallel to the bottom and inclined relative to the side walls.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container for storing a liquid cartridge that is attachable to a liquid discharge apparatus, the container comprising:
 a storage unit including a bottom and at least four side walls; and   an opening facing the bottom,   wherein a plurality of ribs protrudes from an inner surface of at least one of the at least four side walls of the storage unit toward an inside of the storage unit and extends from the bottom toward the opening, and   wherein the plurality of ribs includes a plurality of first ribs which are configured to protrude in a direction parallel to the bottom and inclined relative to the at least one of the at least four side walls.   
     
     
         2 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first ribs is inclined relative to the at least one of the at least four side walls by an angle of at least 30 degrees and up to 45 degrees. 
     
     
         3 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of first ribs includes a first part and a second part having a protrusion length longer than a protrusion length of the first part. 
     
     
         4 . The container according to  claim 3 , wherein the second part of the at least one of the plurality of first ribs has a protrusion length of 2.0 mm or more. 
     
     
         5 . The container according to  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of ribs includes a second rib which is configured to protrude and is inclined relative to the at least one of the at least four side walls, wherein the second rib is configured with a protrusion length shorter than a protrusion length of the second part. 
     
     
         6 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first ribs is disposed on two opposing side walls of the at least four side walls. 
     
     
         7 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first ribs is elastically deformable. 
     
     
         8 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container is made of plastic. 
     
     
         9 . The container according to  claim 8 , wherein the container includes a recycled plastic material. 
     
     
         10 . A liquid cartridge container comprising:
 the liquid cartridge; and   the container according to  claim 1 , configured to store the liquid cartridge.   
     
     
         11 . The liquid cartridge container according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the liquid cartridge includes   a head unit connectable with a discharge substrate having discharge ports for discharging a liquid; and   a reservoir connected with the head unit and configured to store the liquid, and   wherein when the liquid cartridge is stored in the storage unit, the plurality of first ribs is disposed to face the head unit in a direction intersecting with the at least one of the at least four side walls.   
     
     
         12 . The liquid cartridge container according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein at least one of the plurality of first ribs includes a first part and a second part having a protrusion length longer than a protrusion length of the first part, and   wherein, in a direction intersecting with the at least one of the at least four side walls, the first part of the at least one of the plurality of first ribs is arranged to face the head unit, and the second part of the at least one of the plurality of first ribs is arranged to face a side surface of the liquid cartridge corresponding to the reservoir.   
     
     
         13 . The liquid cartridge container according to  claim 12 , wherein a distance between the first part and the head unit in a direction parallel to a protrusion direction of the plurality of first ribs is larger than a distance between the second part and the side surface. 
     
     
         14 . The liquid cartridge container according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein, in a position of the liquid cartridge stored in the storage unit, a width of the reservoir is larger than a width of the head unit, and   wherein a vertex of the second part supports the reservoir from a side with the head unit when the liquid cartridge is stored in the storage unit.   
     
     
         15 . The liquid cartridge container according to  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of first ribs are arranged in a position corresponding to a region ranging over at least two-thirds of a length of the discharge substrate in a side surface direction of the liquid cartridge. 
     
     
         16 . The liquid cartridge container according to  claim 10 , wherein the liquid cartridge is configured to store ink. 
     
     
         17 . The liquid cartridge container according to  claim 10 , wherein the liquid cartridge container is provided with a cover welded to the container. 
     
     
         18 . A method for collecting a liquid cartridge that has been attached to and used in a liquid discharge apparatus, the method comprising:
 collecting the liquid cartridge by storing the liquid cartridge in a container, the container including
 a storage unit including a bottom and at least four side walls; and 
 an opening facing the bottom, 
 wherein a plurality of ribs is configured to protrude from an inner surface of at least one of the at least four side walls of the storage unit toward an inside of the storage unit and extends from the bottom toward the opening, and 
 wherein the plurality of ribs includes a plurality of first ribs which are configured to protrude in a direction parallel to the bottom and inclined relative to the at least one of the at least four side walls. 
   
     
     
         19 . A container for storing a liquid discharge head that is attachable to a liquid discharge apparatus, the container comprising:
 a storage unit including a bottom and at least four side walls; and   an opening facing the bottom,   wherein a plurality of ribs is configured to protrude from an inner surface of at least one of the four side walls of the storage unit toward an inside of the storage unit and extends from the bottom toward the opening, and   wherein the plurality of ribs includes a plurality of first ribs which are configured to protrude in a direction parallel to the bottom and inclined relative to the at least one of the at least four side walls.